The great garden upheaval: do try this at home!

Today
we are turning the spotlight on an amazing backyard transformation at
a private residence in Berlin, Germany. No longer the sad backyard
full of dead plants and uninteresting spaces it was before, it is now
a lively garden space that is suited to the
seasons thanks to the landscaping team at NIE
GESEHENE GÄRTEN®.

Lacking
straight edges and harsh lines, this garden is full of softly curving
paths, rounded features and even has an organically shaped pond in
the middle of it. Stones of different sizes are used throughout—to
line the paths, as sculptural pieces and around the water's edge.

And
now this is a backyard that can be enjoyed in the hot European summer
and won't look like a desolate wasteland during the winter months.
Let's take a look around.

Before: a lackluster lawn.

2015—Vorher

The
state of this garden was saddening and uninspiring—even the plants
were unhappy and unhealthy! Generally speaking lawns can be hard to
maintain properly and to keep healthy, so the landscapers planned for
a low maintenance garden with plenty of stone paths and raised garden
beds. What we will see is a garden more suited to the local climate,
and full of native plants that can thrive.

Miserable and uninviting.

2015—Vorher

This
side of the backyard was unstructured, untidy and generally
unsightly. The space was large, but lacked vision and any sort of
theme to make it worth visiting. Original elements have been kept in
the new design—like the large stones, the grasses (even though they
are dying and miserable here), and the paving stones. Let's see what
it looks like now!

The transformation begins.

Things
are starting to take shape now that the mess has been cleared away,
the ground leveled out and the garden bed areas designated. Large
stones like this are extremely useful to use as natural markers and
to contain raised garden beds within.

Potential realized.

Gartenterrasse mit Quellstein

The
deck has been raised above the rest of the backyard, not only
creating a clean area for outdoor seating, but also allowing guests
to appreciate the views over the rest of the garden. There are now
paths winding through freshly planted garden beds and sculptural
areas and also a whole new barbecue area in the corner. This backyard
is now calming, peaceful with plenty of interesting, intimate areas
to spend time unwinding in.

Brick lined paths.

2016

Using
bricks to edges of the pond and the garden are just the thing to tidy
up this backyard's 'wild' look. With all of the driftwood, roughly
textured stones and the messy grasses, the bricks are the structured
pieces holding it all together. They also stop pesky little weeds
sprouting up around the edges of the paths, meaning less maintenance.

Using unstructured landscaping.

2016

Expert landscapers don't always want to plant manicured Topiaries and
perfectly trimmed hedges, they can also make gardens look wild, just
like the one around this natural-looking pond. So sure, go ahead and
precisely plan your brand new garden—it can easily look like it's
always been there.

Stepping stones.

2016

These
stepping stones placed in the murky water are a playful touch (and a
great way to keep children entertained) to the space. They also
provide access to the middle of the pond if there are any pesky water
weeds to get rid of!

Soft grasses and rounded edges.

The
appeal of this backyard is that it looks so effortless and natural. And that is because there are no straight edges to be
seen. All paths are softly curved, the pond is lined with uncut
stones and rocks, grasses are large, wild and soften the nearby brick
edges, and even the wooden viewing panel is oval shaped.

A corner for barbecuing.

Gartenküche

No
great garden space is complete without a space dedicated to the art
of grilling or barbecuing. And this one doesn't disappoint.
Completely paved with bricks, this corner has two fire ovens with
workbench space, creating the perfect cooking corner for family
dinners or summer parties.

Using
bricks to build outdoor furniture is a great way to stay on budget
while renovating your terrace. If you want more tips, then checkout these 9 invaluable ones.

Providing essential shade.

Quellstein

This
shady spot will be a welcome sight to those with children or fair
skin, or for anyone living in a hot climate needing a moment's relief
from the harsh sun. Surrounded by large leafy trees, this cool spot
is the perfect place for outdoor furniture or for small children
while playing in this sunny backyard. Well thought!